Pages

Monday, July 27, 2015

Thank you to John Andrus, Technology Club leader and Res Life Faculty, for writing today's blog.

I hope everyone is having a great summer.I can’t believe that the students will start
coming back in less than two weeks from today!WOW!We finished up another
awesome year here at Shepherds on June 13th, and the new school year
starts August 10th.We have
witnessed a huge amount of growth in students this year, both in classes and in
residential life.But along with all
that growth, we also love to have fun!

Clubs are a big part of campus life fun here at
Shepherds.In my time at Shepherds we
have offered scrapbooking, guitar lessons, ukulele club, recycling club, and
more.Our biggest club has always been choir.(As an aside, the Jensens have faithfully
volunteered to lead the choir here at Shepherds College for many years. However, this past school year was their last,
and they were honored at graduation for their service.)

Former Choir Directors, Sandy & Steve Jensen, with Angela Houk

For many years, we have investigated adding a technology
major here at Shepherds, but so far, various things beyond our control have
hampered that coming to fruition.Currently, we are in a holding pattern with regards to adding curriculum
due to our ongoing accreditation process.Because of this hold, we are adding new ways to give the students who
are tech savvy an outlet to explore their “inner-geek”, as I like to call it.

Some of us are just born "geeky."

The major way we helped our “Geeks” scratch that itch in the
2014-2015 school year was Tech Club.Technology Club met once a week on Monday, right after school, and the
guys who decided to join had no idea how far we would stretch them.

They look so trusting!

We started Tech Club in October of 2014, and the guys were
excited.The first thing we did was completely tear
apart a computer and discuss each part and the function it serves within
the computer system.Once the guys
thoroughly understood what each internal part of a computer did, we started
shopping!Using some tools on the
internet, and a whiteboard covered in part numbers and prices, we determined
how to build a computer from scratch, and, most important to Mr. Terrill, cheaper than what we were buying
computers for wholesale.That first
computer ended up costing right at $300, shipped to our door in pieces.Then, as a group, we put it together and
fired it up.

Not too shabby!

Our computer is now the fastest computer in the computer
lab, and everyone in tech club fights over who gets to use “Computer 13”.

After we finished our computer, we spent an entire club
meeting discussing and debating what to do next.After we ravaged yet another whiteboard with
ideas, we decided that we wanted to build a website For Shepherds College students,
By Shepherds College students.

From there, we split into teams.Two people were on the design and layout of
our new student newsletter (Coming Labor Day 2015!)Two people were in charge of finding or
taking photos of students, campus, and student life.Two others were in charge of design and
layout of the website, and one was in charge of editing.

Our site is very new, so be patient with us.However, it’s a great source of pride for the
seven individuals who created and maintained it.

As we enter a new school year, and a new group of students
in Tech Club, we commit to bringing you an insider perspective of student life
here at Shepherds, one that you won’t
see anywhere else.

If you are a current or incoming student who wants to learn
how to run the sound board at church, wants to build computers, take pictures,
utilize your graphic design skills, or build a website,Tech Club might be for you.